


Distance

by little_werewolf



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Complete random fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-08
Updated: 2012-03-08
Packaged: 2017-11-01 15:49:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/358571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/little_werewolf/pseuds/little_werewolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Make sure to keep my distance, Say "I love you" when you're not listening, How long til we call this love, love, love?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Distance

Charles has one weakness.

Erik.

He knows that he would do anything for Erik. He would go as far as die for him, as long as Erik stays at his side and loves him back. However, that’s exactly the problem. They never talk about their feelings, and sometimes Charles feels like he is wearing his heart on his sleeve while Erik just watches from afar.

He has never dared to enter Erik’s mind again after that night in the ocean. So he doesn’t know what the other man is feeling, and his body language reading skills have never been the best, and no matter how much his insecurities overwhelm him, he doesn’t dare.

So instead, he takes every smallest moment they have together as if it would be their last.

 He watches Erik sleep at night, how he teaches the kids to become stronger, watches his hands while they play chess at night and absorbs every touch as much as he can. Sometimes he can see Erik watching him in return, and it makes his heart swell when there is the tiniest twitch at the corner of Erik’s lips, a smile that is only meant for him and no one else.

Still as time goes by Charles can’t help but yearn for the security, for the knowledge that he isn’t the only one who is getting too involved in all of this. He attempts to pull together his bravery, which everyone seems to think that he has, and ask Erik when they are alone. He can’t however scared of the answer he might get, and times goes by, ticking way too fast for his liking.

So he lies awake one night, watching Erik sleep by his side, curled on to his side with his back towards Charles. It feels like there is distance between them, in his own bed and his insecurities that Erik might not feel the same once overwhelm him.

Very carefully, he reaches out to let his fingers caress along the other man’s arms, feeling the soft hairs below his fingertips. Letting out a shuddering sigh, he moves to wrap his arm around Erik’s waist and leans in to bury his face in the man’s neck, taking in a deep breath of the other man’s scent.

“I love you…” Charles whispers quietly, knowing that Erik is not awake to hear it, that it will keep on being his own little secret and he almost cries as he feels how much it hurts in his heart. Pressing his eyes tightly close, he lets his mind be calmed by Erik’s steady and calm breathing, and he is almost fast asleep as he feels the other man turn around and pull Charles in his arms instead.

For a moment, he thinks Erik is still asleep, but there is a brush of lips against his cheek and he knows that Erik is pretty much awake and he tenses at the realization that he might have heard his confession.

“I know you’re awake Charles,” Erik deep voice murmurs behind him, and Charles blinks his eyes open just as Erik pushes himself up on his elbow so that he can look down at Charles’s face.

“You heard me….” It wasn’t really a question, Charles knows that, but still he can’t stop himself from saying it anyway.

“Your head was turning in circles, how was I supposed not to hear you,” Erik attempts to sound disgruntled, but Charles can hear the man’s smile in his voice and he gradually relaxes against the other man again.

“It wasn’t,” Charles replies indignantly, and they both laugh and he feels Erik’s lips against his own. The kiss is slow and gentle, tongues caressing ever so slowly against one and another, making Charles feel breathless and yearning for more.

_I love you too._

The thought comes so suddenly that Charles has to pull away in shock, his eyes wide and lips parted in surprise. For a moment he thinks he has imagined it, but Erik is looking at him with that soft expression that always just been there for him, and Charles once more feels close to tears, so overwhelmed by the emotions rushing through him.

“Stop gaping my little genius, you’ll swallow a fly,” Erik teases softly, and they both laugh again, and Charles thinks that this was definitely worth the wait. 


End file.
